Creativity and Ecology: A Decade of Contributions for the Design of Sustainable Landscapes (1999-2010)

Abstract

Ecology has contributed significantly to the evolution of landscape architecture. Currently, ecology continues to have a very significant role in the practice of landscape architecture. Nevertheless, several authors have identified limitations on the knowledge transferal process and on its application by landscape design professionals. This research analysed theoretical criticism on landscape design between 1999-2010, identifying it's legacy in the use of ecological concepts for the development of conceptual and formal design strategies. Were collected and analysed a set of 15 documents on landscape architecture design theory, including books, chapters and essays, mostly related with the landscape urbanism movement. The purpose was to identify the ecological concepts that were used and the way they worked in the design. This study also covered how the use of concepts changed over time. The analysis of the literature recorded the use of 23 ecological concepts and several proposals to its operationalization. The concepts identified fell within two trends: the articulation between form and process; and the adaptive capacity of the design. This paper argues that the theoretical contributions produced between 1999 and 2010 point to meaningful ecological operations from which innovative design approaches, that integrate ecology, can be explored.